Hungary The unknown to me divisional an emblem

[Sergey]

Misters, prompt what military division this sign belonged and how many it approximately costs.

[hunyadi]

Though not having any more proof that just the motiff - I am goign to assume that this is an unofficial cap badge of the 52nd Hungarian Infantry Regiment. It was part of General Jany's IIIrd Corps reserves that were called up to counterattack the Soviet offensive at the Don River Bend. Delays in orgnaization caused them to arrive at the fight a day late on January 13th 1943. The counterattack by the 52nd, 47th, 17th and 3rd Infantry Regiments failed to dislodge the Soveit penetration towards Ostrogosk.

My assumption that this is Hungarian is that it seems to be the size of a cap badge, which was a common tradition among the Austrio-Hungarian forces during WW1. This traditon - though unofficial continued in limited numbers during WW2. Pieces like this could be bought at the canteen. Also - the cross motiff is of the Hungarian style, the bird resembles the Turul bird of Hungarian folklore and the helmet is of the Hungarian, German style. But these are only guesses at best as I have never encountered its equal or seen it in a period photgraph. - Value - to the right collector maybe $35-50?

[Sergey]

Many thanks for your answer. I was admired with its completeness and logic. Really this sign is found near to the city of Voronezh. In the literature I have not met the description of this sign. Now I can get it in my collection

[iffig]

The review "The Armourer" (issue 79, Jan-Feb 2007) features (pp. 38-40) a study titled "Hungarian Military Badges of the Second World War", by Gergely Pals Sallay, Curator of of the Hungarian Military History Museum of Budapest. The study features a colour picture of a badge positively identified by the author as the Hungarian 52 nd Infantry Regiment. The shape of this badge is exactly similar to the one proposed for identification. But it is a colour picture : the cross is white, the helmet and wings are golden, the arrow is red, the foliage shows two shades of green, number "52" is golden. Unfortunately, dimensions are not specified. Obviously, the picture shows an enamelled badge ; it is said that the enameled version was for officers, the stamped version being destined to other ranks.

Hope this can help.

[Sergey]

Thanks this essential and interesting addition. And can be at you there is a color image of this sign. And still a question-where carried this sign. It would be desirable to see a photo .

[iffig]

At present time, I have no scanning device so that I am unable to publish a picture of the badge.

Hopefully, this will be corrected soon. But is it allowed to act this way ? As the picture has been published in a review, copyrights questions may arise. Administrator, please let me know.

I think a enamelled badge must have been too heavy to be worn on kepis or side caps the way stamped badges were; I guess it could have been worn on tunic; but the picture in the review does not show the reverse of the badge, with its fixation device. So, part of the mystery remains.

More radically it is possible that the badge was not designed to be worn at all (just made to be kept in a presentation box). The Hungarian Military History Museum has a site:

www.hm-him.hu

Maybe you can try to direct your question there.

[Sergey]

Thanks. I shall make as you have told